The Sun. — London, England, 1838-02-28 00:00:00

SECOND EDITION SUN OFFICE, Seven o Clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS OF PARLIA MENT. SUB-COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS FOR BILLS, No. 4. Mr. GREENE in the chair. Oxford and Great Western Union Railway.—Petition for Bill read—Notices proved--unopposed— Standing Orders complied with. Staley Road.—Petition read—for Bill to enlarge and amend the powers of former Act—notices proved—unopposed— Standing Orders complied with. South Molton Roads.—Petition read for Bill to continue, enlarge, and amend the powers of a former Act, and for the repeal of other Acts. . . . . The petition was opposed by a counter petition, on the ground of Standing Orders not having been complied with, no subscription contract to the amount of three-fourths of the estimate of expense being entered into and deposited in the Private Bill Office. The question of the amount of surplus income in the hands of the Trustees was then gone into, when after some discus sion it appeared in evidence to' be 81. 7s. 10d., the amount of money authorized to be raised (without the consent of cre ditors) by the existing Acts, appeared to be 4,000/. ; and no application had been made to the creditors for leave to bor row more. The Trustees of the road were directed to apply the funds towards the expenses of passing the Acts, of erecting toll-houses, of widening and repairing roads, &c. Ste. Nevertheless, by the Ac", 54, Geo. 111., Trustees of Turnpike Roads were empowered to raise 2,0001. in addition to any sum originally to he borrowed by special enactment. t It was contended by the opposing party, that the Trustees, not having a balance of more than 81. 7s. 10d. in hand, had neither the right, nor the power, to come to Parliament and ask for a Bill, enabling them to expend the sum of 33,000/., which appeared to be their intention, on the new lines of road which they projected. The parties for the Bill answered, that the Standing Orders had not been virtually infringed ; inasmuch, as instead of a subscription contract, it was only necessary to make and lodge a declaration as to tho nature and amount of the fund intended to be applied to for the purposes of the Bill. (Standing Order, No. 8, page 18). In proof cf this being considered a sufficient compliance with the Standing Orders, an opinion of Mr. Austin was read to the Committee. As to funds, they contended that it was the constant prac tice of parties to come before Parliament for Bills to make new nuts, who had not a shilling of available capital in hand ; merely depending upon the tolls to be raised; and that, there fore, the trustees of this road had every reason to believe their application (being merely for extension of powers under an old Act) would be granted ; especially as the practice of Par liament appeared to be to put all trustees of turnpike roads as nearly under the provisions of the General Inclosuro Act as possible. . Notwithstanding these arguments, the Committee decided that the Standing Orders 'pad not been complied with, inas much as no subscription contract had been entered into ac cording to the Standing Order, No. 8, page 18 ; neither did it appear to the Committee that the Trustees were in posses sion of funds sufficient to enable them to carry into effect the purposes of the new work. Turton and Entwistle Reservoir.—Petition read for Bill to enlarge the Reservoir. Notices proved. Unopposed. Stand ing Orders complied with. St. Pancras Paving __Petition read forlßill to repeal forma. Acts, and for a Bill granting powers to levy new rates, &cc. An objection was taken to the notice, which, it was alleged, had not been affixed to every church-door in St. Pancras ; neither did the notice express the manner in which it was in tended to alter, extend, or vary the amount of the old rates, which, it appeared, were divided into eight classes, and that such ought to have been the course pursued as to such notice. The CHAIRMAN expressed his opinion, on the contrary, that the notice produced before the Corr.mittee was one of the most explicit he had ever seen. It was contended that the parishes:of St. George, Blooms bury, and St. George the Martyr, would be as much affected by this Bill as St. Pancras, and that therefore, such parishes ought to have had notice. The Committee decided that such was the case, and that the Standing Orders had not been complied with. ELECTION COMMITTEES. (THIS DAT.) (Continued from our Fiat Edition.) CITY OF LONDON. The Committee met to-day at two o'clock. Mr. CURRIE in the Chair. As soon as the whole of the Members were present, Counsel and strangers w ere ordered to withdraw. After tieing out for an heur,they were re-admitted and informed hy the Chairman that in consequence of a matter which had only come to their knowledge that day, the Commuted had determined to ad journ tilt to-morrow i❑ order to afford them time to report to the House. The reason was that one of the Members on the Committee voted at the election, and was a violent parti san for Mr. Palmer. _ _ Why did 1!c not state as much last niizht in the House, when two names were objected to, and struck off on the same ground ? TAUNTON. John Morgan, 746 on the register, was objected to, on the ground of removal. The Committee struck off ne vote. An adjournment then to.k place unit to-morrow morning, at eleven o'clock. The number of votes objected to by the petitioners, we understand, is 150, and by the sitting Member about 200, The majority for the latter, 7.-heu the Committee adjourned, was two—three votes hiving been struck off. COAL MARKET.-(THIS DAY). 51 .44 arrived sine.. Per T'n. s. 4. Ih:rdon Chester Min 22 ',are's 'gain Original Windsor Ponion C Soutn Hartley 212 6 Tanfleld Moor 2.1 0 Walls End Bewiche avid Ce 24 6 Walls 7nl ("lark and Cs. 2l 9 Walls En Heaton 24 3 Walls End Hotspur Walls End Kill:ngworth 23 9 17. st market—day, 24. Walls End Lanchester o'2 0 Waits End Walke Walls End Braddyll's llctton 27 3 Walls End Hetton ........ ....... Walla End Larnhtrin...........:7 3 Walls End Ilussel's ilettma... 27 3 Walls En.: tewart's Walla End Har 19.p00l w 27 3 Walls End Deanery. Walls End Barrington PER [AL PARLIAMENT, (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The House of Lords stands adjourned till to-morrow. 110 USE OF CONIMONS. The SPEAKER took the chair shortly before Four o'clock. Mr. GIBSON CRAIG presented a petition against the E , linburgh and Glasgow Railway Bill. Mr. BLACKBURN presented a petition from the borough of Wallingford in favour of the Bill. Mr. HALL brought up the National Loan Fund Assurance Company's Bill, which was read a first time.—To be read a second time. The Paington Harbour Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. LO WT HE R presented a petition from Knaresborough against the Municipal Boundaries Bill. Mr. W. D lINCOMBE supported the prayer of the petition Mr. O'CONNELL here entered the House, bearing a large bundle of petitions. He appeared to be in excellent spirits, and nothing daunted by the discussions which had taken place and the resolutions which had been passed. Lord CASTLER.EAGII presented petitions from Now townard and Comber, in the County of Down, praying that parishes might be exempted from the workhouse system, on condition that they maintained their cwn poor. The Noble Lord gave notice thit he would move the introduction of a Clause in the Irish Poor Law Bill to that effect. Mr. HODGES presented petitions from two parishes in Essex, against the present system of Negro Apprenticeship. HIGH SHERIFFS. Colonel DAVIS gave notice that it was his intention, on the 9th of March, to move for leave tge bring in a Bill for regulating the office of High Sheriff. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from the Society of Friends, complaining of the exaction of Church rates, and praying for their total abolition. Mr. THO RNELE Y presented a petition from Bilston, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws. The Honourable Member also presented a petition from Wolverhampton signed by 11,000 persons, praying for the abolition of the Negro Apprenticeship system. Also a petition from Liverpool, in favour of the reduction of the rates of postage to a penny. The petitioners were - of opinion that the re venue would not be injured by the adoption of such a rate of postage, as the transmission of letters would be increased in a tenfold degree. The Marquis of C HAND 0 S wished to ask the Hon. Mem ber for Wolverhampton, whether it was the intention of his Hon. Colleague, to bring forward his motion with respect to the Corn-laws to-morrow ? Mr. THORNLE Y said that he understood it was the in tention of his Hon. Colleague to bring it forward to-morrow, if it was in his power. Sir. F. TRENCH presented a petition from Scarborough, against the Boundaries' Bill. Mr. LA MBTON presented a petition from North Durham, praying for the abolition of the system of negro apprentice ship ; also one from an individual named Beard, complaining of the frauds which existed in the Coal trade. Colonel GORE LANGTON presented a petition from a place in Sornersetshire, praying for the Vote by Ballot. Mr. BAILEY presented a petition from Worcester, com plaining of the present mode of transferring publican's licences. Mr. HUTTON presented a petition from the Mayor and Corporation of Dublin in favour of the Glasgow and Edinburgh Railway Bill, praying the House not to throw it out on any purely technical ground. The Hon. Member also presented petitions from St. Paul and St. Mark, Dublin, complaining of the corrupt and profligate state of the present system of munici pal government there, and praying for the extension of Muni cipal Reform for Ireland ; also a petition from the license d apothecaries of Dublin, stating that there was no provision for attaching apothecaries to dispensaries, and praying for relic' in that respect. TRADES' UNIONS. Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition, signed by 304 house-painters of the City of Dublin, de❑ying the charges THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1838. - brought against them, explaining the state of their trade, and inviting inquiry into the whole of their proceedings. The pe titioners stated that instead of a uniform rate of wages being established, there were four rates, and that any master might take an unlimited number of apprentices.—Referred to the Trades' Combination Committee. GLASGOW COTTON SPINNERS. The Hos. MEMBER then presented petitions from the Working Men's Association of Sheffield ; from Biddlestone, in the county of York, and from the Whitesmiths of London, praying for a mitigation of the sentence passed on the Glasgow Cotton Spinners. CORN LAWS. Sir R. FERGUSON presented a petition we believe from Dublin, praying for a repeal of the Corn Laws. THE SCOTCH CHURCH. Mr. WE NIYSS presented a petition from Fife, against any further grant to the Scotch Church. NEGRO APPRENTICESHIP. An Hon. MEMBER, whose name we did not learn, presented petitions from Bristol and other places against Negro Ap- prenticeship. Mr. MORRIS presented a petition from some place in Cornwall, also against the Apprenticeship System. Sir C. STYLE presented a petition from Scarborough, against a Bill which had been introduced by his Honourable Colleague. BISHOPRIC OF SODOR AND MAN. Mr. BORT HWICK presented a petition from the manim trate!, and clergy of Evesham, against the abolition of the ._„ Bishopric of Sodor and Man. NEW POOR LAW. Mr. W. DUNCOMBE said that he had a petition to pre sent from the parish of Huddersfield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, to which he would wish to have called the attention of the Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, but he was sorry to find that he was not in his place. The petition referred to the meetings of Guardians which took place in Huddersfield on the sth and 12th of June last, on the subject of the new Poor Law. The importance of the sub ject created considerable excitement in the town, in consequence of which the Magistrates were called on by certain individuals to bring in the military, which they, in the exercise of their discretion, refused to do. A representation was immediately forwarded to the Under-Secretary of State by the parties, who had suggested the calling out of the military, containing calumnies and misrepresentations with respect t, the conduct of the magistrates upon that cccasion. Now, the petitioners stated that the magistrates acted wisely in refusing to call out the military, as the peace of the county was net dis turbed, and they expressed generally their %arm ap proval of the manner in which the magistrates had conducted themselves.—( Hear.) The prayer of the petition was that the House would order the, production of any corres pondence which might have taken place in reference to this subject, between the Lord Lieutenant and Magistrates of the County and the under- Secretary of State. The Hon. Mem ber begged to state in conclusion, that he had submitted this petition to the Secretary of State, but he was sorry to say that he had paid no attention to it. The petition was ordered to lie on the table. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.—MR. O'CONNELL. On tho motion of Lord MAIDSTONE, the Order of the Day for the attendance of Mr. O'Connell in his place was now read. The SPEAKER inquired if Mr. O'Connell was in his place. ,Mr. O'CONNELL rose and said—" I am here, Sir." The Hon. and Learned Member then sat down. The SPEAKER—PIease to stand up. Mr. O'CONNELL then rose The SPEAKER—Mr. O'Connell you have permitted you: self to be betrayed into the use of expressions at a public meeting with respect to which this House has come to the following resolutions :—" That the expressions in the said sneech containing a charge of foul perjury against the Members of this House in the discharge of their official duties, are a foul and scandalous imputation on the honour and character of this House. " That Mr. O'Connell having avowed that he used the said expressions, is guilty of a breach of the privileges of this House therefore that he be reprimanded in his place." The charge of foul perjury is one of the heaviest that can be made. You cannot be surprised that having cast so grave an imputation on the Members of this House, that it has aroused the indignation of those against whom it has been :directed, and that you have exposed your self to the severest censure and displeasure of this House, You have endeavoured to vindicate your conduct by urging that you were impelled by a strong sense of the defective constitution of the present tribunals for the trial of controverted elections, and that you sought to promote a remedy for that evil by stimulating public opinion. It is unnecessary fur me to remind you, that at the time when you used these expressions which have been condemned, this House had recognised, with scarcely any difference of opinion, the expediency of attempting to apply a real remedy to the evil of which you complained, and that your energies and talents would not have found a more useful employment than in endeavour' ig to forward that measure. You have also alleged in your ,xeuse, and it is true, that others have used expressions as strong as those which you employed with respect to this House. In general this House has been of opinion that it consulted its seat dignity, and obeyed the dic tates of prudence, in relying for its protection and defence against misrepresentation and calumny, in the consciousness of the zeal and fidelity with which it has discharged its duties. The case, however, is different when ,one of the Members of this House seeks to disparage and degrade this House in public estimation by charging a number of its Members with foul perjury. No one knows better than you do, the laws and constitution, of this country have in vested this House with a power and authority so large, that its acts mast always have an important effect on the well-being cf the State, and that no power can be bene ficially exercised, unless administered by those who enjoy the respect and confidence of the public. It is the first duty of the Members of this House to contribute by all proper means to sustain that character, which is as essential to the interests of the House itself, as it is to the in terest of the country. If, unhappily, the time should arrive when this House shall he stripped of its moral influence and character, and the respect of the people, its means of resis tance will be so weakened to resist unjust demands, that this great assembly, now popularly constituted, will be tossed and driven by every successive current, to the great prejudice of the public interest. I should be unworthy of the situation I now hold, if I did not feel the deepest interest in what ever can touch or affect the character of this House. It is therefore with great pain that I have been com pelled, in the discharge of my duty, thus to animadvert on the conduct of a Member, who has sought to disparage this House, by impeaching the conduct and honour of a lerge portion of its Members. It now only remain, that, in obedi ence to the commands of this house, I should reprimand, as I now do, Mr. O'Connell. Mr. O'CONNELL then rose amid much cheering, and ad dressed the House a 3 follows :—Sir, it seems to me that it is extremely inconvenient to follow the precedent here laid down. On the p -esent occasion I have been deprived of considerable advantage in my defence by the mode the House has adopted. A 3 to myself, personal, it is but of small importance what my inconvenience and suffering may be, but it is of great import ance to the House and to the country, that its proceedings should be so arranged as not to produce a moral disparage ment between the [louse and the country at large, and the morality of the House is not to be disparaged if any party violates that morality. It is not , Sir, because we are pleased to say we are pure, that the country is to judge us to be so.--(Cheers.) It is not, Sir, because a majority of 9, or 29, or 200 have declared themselves free from shame, that the country is to believe them to be so.—( Cheers.) As to my self, Sir, the morality or immorality of the House is imma terial ; but it is most important to the true administration of justice, that all decisions and proceedings of this House should be free from political and party bias. In my opinion, Sir, and in that no doubt of the country, this House does not vindicate itself by such a resolution as the present, any more than the judges did, who vindicated themselves from taking ship-money.—( Cheers.) lam sorry, Sir, that I was rot in the House, or that I did not know what the resolutions to be moved for were. Taking my words, such as they were, to be the same as those placed in the resolution, are they, I would ask, sufficient to enable the House to declare the lan guage is false, and inconsistent with the fact ? I have no hesitation in declaring it not to be so, and that facts might be brought forward to show that what I have stated is true, and that the greatest partiality has been exercised in Election Committees. Is there any gentlemen, I would ask, who could declare that it was their firm belief that Election Com mittee; were impartial?—(Cheers.) No one can doubt that the greatest party bias influences the members of such Com mittees. It is admitted that many gentlemen vote in Elec tion Committees by party bias. In the motion of last night it is expressly so stated. It is there stated that many of the Members sworn to try the merits of Election petitions are biassed by party interests and attachments. If that is not perjury I know not what is.—( Cheers.) That charged Members with being biassed in Committees by their party feelings—if that is not a charge of perjury then I have never used the word, because that was all I meant to convey. _( Cheers.) The gentlemen opposite may lay the flattering unction to their souls, but I ask will the public go with them?— (Cheers.) In order to do so they must disclaim that these tribu nals were actuated by party feelings—havethey done so ? No— (Cheers) —nor can they. As for the Bill before the House it is nothing—it says that these Committees are partial, and then goes on to continue them. I mean no disrespect to the gen tlemen who introduced the Bill, but it does not apply any re medy. The public has long been opposed to the system.— (Cheers. ) I hold in my hand a pamphlet which was published by a Parliamentary agent above a year ago, in which, speaking of these Committees, he says, " I have not known a single case, in which the parties interested, as also the gentlemen of the Bar, did not look more at the character and political opi nions of the Members of the Committee, as furnishing grounds for success, than to the merits of the case. "—( Cheers.) He pro ceeds—" The ev i l t l has ,e.tolbHho c ae o %;n n ep t iro iu o n slceierr ed to increase until it has be ca, c fromcme wilnhhtioaclhveerlafbeclloetm. d b r s l e_ e c e t i o i : N e t h d e e your part m r be e ef p r t r i sme safe—nod a c n ee , be causetryMember is secure of his seat, nor can any petitioner hope to succeed with the best Case—all depends upon the political i opinions of the Committee."—(Cheers.) I aware l that am not very popular with the Gentlemen opposite. fault ; but if so, it is one e l c w an b n y ot de rep u e e ri t t t o li f e . Hon. ( Gentlemen eers attack I L t ou m d a cheers. my assailing m ho has put fo r th my sentiments in a k a d t b e an w the g entleman gentlem zt s a t publication which met them in every publisher's shop ?- -(Loud cheers.) I tell them that they cannot stifle either the voice of the public or mine. I have every fcr the assembly of the Gentlemen around me, but nosp respect for any body will ever keep me from speaking the truth. Many of the Gentlemen present will remember that Galileo was put into prison for saying that the world went round— they may also remember that it is said that after the bolts and bars were drawn upon him, be cried out through the key hole, " the world goes rounds still."—( Loud cheers.) He is not a Whig, much less a Radical as I am—but he be longs in politics to a party opposed to me; and he says, " nothing depends on the merits.—every thing depends on ,the Committee." I ask Gentlemen to put their hands to their hearts, and to say whether that is true or false ?—(Cheers.) Parties endeavour to get Committees of the most extraordi nary nature. I have heard even to-day of a most extraordi nary circumstance with respect to a Committee.-- ( Loud cheering, which continued for some seconds. The observation was made, we believe, in allusion to the fact of a gentleman having allowed himself to be ballotted for on the City of London Committee, not withstanding he voted for, and was an active partizan of, the petitioner.) And it really was suggested to me—only the Noble Lord has conducted his case with so much perfect cor rectness towards me, I must say that I will not at all think of involving him in any species of even legitimate complaint— but it has been suggested to me, it was arranged that my case should ho brought on early, before the facts of that other ease came before the House. It appears that some gentlemen have that sweet oblivious antidote, that makes them forget two and two make four, or some proposition of equal certainty. " Thus the writer goes on to ensure a favourable Committee, every principle of decency and justice are notoriously and openly prostituted."--(Loud cheers.) This has been in print for twelve months; and now I am assailed for taking up this thing when it is pressing home to the bosoms of those whose rights are most dear to me. This is what the public say ; and yet you come with your vindication of yourselves, with a ma jority of nine, declaring that to be true which the public declares to be utterly untrue.—( Cheers.) It goes on : " The solemnity of an oath and public opinion have little effect on many when the interest of one of their party is at stake. "—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") That is what the public say, and what becomes of your vindication, or your reprimand of me ?—( Cheers.) I have expres: ed no regret for what I have uttered—l have retracted nothing—l retract nothing.—( Loud cheering for some time.) Sir, I have risen to move the appointment of a Committee of investigation, which I had not an opportunity of doing before. Let me meet your resolution by evidence.—(Loud cheers.) Give me a Committee—let it be selected in a way you think most likely to obtain the opinion of the public—let the lead ing men of each party be upon it.—( Hear and cheers.) Let it be nominated by the Speaker. Ought this House to submit to this history of it given to the public ? It is not only to the organs of both parties I refer to—l refer to the delibe rate publications of your own House given to you. I will I examine before that Committe the Members of this House— the Learned Counsel who practise here, and who said to me it is in vain for you to struggle, you sea the Committee will decide everything against us.—( Hear, hear.) They will at once say, that when 7 to 4 are struck you may instantly send your witnesses home—we will go on with your case, but they will strike to-morrow.—( Hoar, hear.) I have heard that said recently—( Hear, hear,)—and now that being so, I will put it to the honour and candour of the gentlemen who hear me, if they will persevere in that course, and not give us this trial. You have your public tribunals to try everything unstained and untainted. You find in those tribunals Gentle- men among you, whatever the!r politics may be, who perform their duty with impartiality. I will say that of you English gentlemen who come among us in the judicial scat. You have therefore unstained and untainted benches of justice. You have impartial juries—you can remove a trial from place to place—you can, what we call, charge the venue—you can get counties free from all bias and party attachment—you can get the judges to preside and correct the errors of juries if they find a verdict against evidence, or the weight of evidence— but your present tribunal, who is to correct it? Nobody. It is the most absolute tribunal in the world. Law you pro fess to know nothing of; and what can be more dangerous than for a body to take upon itself to decide upon law who is utterly ignorant of it? You sages who have laid down rules that no man shall be deprived by law of his life or property wi , hout evidence, what is your evidence ? What would you require ? This gentleman goes on to state that whatever one on one side wishes to have, they have only to suggest it to a friendly Counsel that he may ask for it, and which a Counsel in a Court of Justice would be ashamed to ask. I am ready to prove my case. I call on you to let me prove my case.—( Hear. ) If that Committee decide that I have made a false charge, there is no submission too humble which will not proudly be bowed to by me. If that Committee states it is proved that I have made a mis-statement, there is no reparation I shall not make which so humble an individual as myself may be capable of. But I cannot, stand by the notion that any censure is in flicted on roe by any vote of a majority that will not come to the evil and eradicate Much cheering.) I will not say all—tevcral may not come, but many will come down to-morrow, and be reproached in their clubs, if they happen to be away when their ballot is going on. All they want to have said is—" Oh if you had been in your place—if you had been there, the majority would have been the other way." A morality of party against the morality of justice I—( Cheers.) I have heard a great deal against religion here. What scuffles and scrambles have been made for the purpose of throwing out observations against religion in one part of the House and in another, and what sanctimoniousness of demeanour has been observed on other occasions I—(Hear, hear.) This, then, is a question of trying a matter fairly, after being sworn on the Holy Word of God. Where then are those men of pore canctity? Why don't they come forward now and adjourn their Sabbath. days' Bills, if we are to hear any more of those Bills adjourn them for a week or ten days, and come to a real vindication of their calling on the sanctity of the name of the Eternal God.—( Hear, hear.) Sir, I mean to move that this Committee shall be formed, and I shall submit upon that to anything which the House may think fit. I have repented of nothing—l have retracted nothing.—( Hear.) I mean not to use harsh or offensive language.—( Cries of " Oh, oh," from the Tory side, at which the Hon. and Learned Gen leman paused, as if surprised, which produced profound silence. After a brief pause t he Hon. and Learned Gentleman proceeded. ) I admire their attention to a subject which introduces the name and sancticn of the Deity.—( Hear, hear.) I repeat what I have said, but I wish I could fied terms less offensive in themselves and equally significant.—( Hear, hear.) lam bound to re-assert what I have said, for I am convinced of nothing by a vote.—( Hear, hear.) Sir, I now more for the appointment of a Committee. The SPEAKER.—Mr. O'Connell, it is contrary to the roles of The House to move for a Committee without having given notice. Mr. O'CONNELL.—If that is the rule, Sir, I now give notice that I will move for the Committee to-morrow.--( Hear. ) . Lord CASTLEREAGH then rose, but gave way to ILord JOHN RUSSELL—Sir, I rise to move that y our ddress be inserted in the Journals of the House. LONDON ELECTION COMMITTEE. Mr. CURRIE, the Chairman of the London Election ,Committee, appeared at the Bar, and being asked by the aker what he had there, sa d—A ref ort, Sir, which , as k Chairman of the London Election Committee lam directed ito make to the House. I am directed to state, that, o T meeting this day, and before the Committee proceeded to business, Mr. Sanderson, one of the Members, stated 'that it was only this mo rn i ng b e di scover ed that he had voted at the last election for the city of London.—(Cheers, laugh'er, and cries of " Oh, oh," which continued f ur some !minutes.) When the no i se su b s id e d, M r . C. continued— kAnd Mr. Sanderson add e d, that he took the earliest opportu rnity to apprise the Co mm itt ee o f t h e f ac t.—( Hear.) Upo n Pacing informed of that, the Committee adjourned to to-morrow, 'tend ordered me to report the fact to the House immediately. ! Mr. SANDERSON then rose amidst cheers, laughter, Nand cries of " Order, order." He said—l feel that some ex planation and apology is due from me to the House on this occasion. —( Hear, te ar .) I t i s now near ly twelve years ilince I first had the h onour o f s i tt i ng as a Member of this House—(' , Hear, h ear ," f rom the Tory ben ches) I .—and during the wh o l e o f t h at ti me I have be en an elector of the City o f L on d on . But from the `circumstance of the election for Colchester having been 'Always preced - from voting in Ldon, 'fixed for the same time as th a t f o r th e City b u t at the of London , I was 'election, and lud I thought it h a d b een ason before.— last (" Oh, oh !" 'cheers, laughter, and cries of " Order.") I thoug ht it had been so at the last election, and that I had not voted. I state that in my own justification. But on referring to the poll books of my own accord, and without any suggestion from any one else—(hear and a laugh)--I found that I did vote, and I immediately hastened to apprise the Committee of the circumstance. —(Opposition cheers.) Sir, I sincerely regret the inconvenience which I hare caused to the House on this occasion, and. I assure the House that the error was moat unintentional—( Hear, hear from ;the Tories)—and I trust that every Hon Member will acquit me of any desire to conceal the factiof my having voted.—( Hear, hear, from the Tories.) I know not what the decision of the House may be. But upon reference to the poll-books this morning of my own accord, I found it was not so—that I did vote at the last election. I immediately acquainted the Committee with the fact. I sincerely regret the inconvenience which I have oc casioned. I assure the House it was an unintentional error ; I hope every Hon. Member will acquit me of any desire to be re tained on the Committee while di squa lifi e d from serving.—( Hear, hear.) I know not what course the House may take regarding me--for my own part, I desire my name may be struck off the Committee.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. W YNN said a clause had been inserted in the Act respecting Election Committees—the 30th clause expressly to meet this case, by the desire of Lord Colchester, enacting that " eleven Members, sworn at the table, well and truly to try the merits of any election petition shall be deemed and taken to be a Select Committee, legally appointed to try and determine the merits of that election petition, from and after the time of such Committee having been sworn at the table." Now, he thought that in this case, the Hon. Members of the Committees having been sworn at the table, they were legally constituted to try the petition ; and the !louse could not meddle with it.—( Hear, hear, from the Op position • benches.) Now, while the House took care to guard against the possibility of this occurring through favouritism toward any individual, they allowed gentlemen, in consequence of death or dangerous illness of a near relative to be excused from attendance on the Committee. The present case, he thought, came within the limits of the rule ; for they should remember that the vote of a member who had polled at the election was likely to be questioned by the Committee, and he would be obliged to be in attendance during its sittings, to verify his statement. He did not therefore think that the House would be straining the rule, by bringing the present case within it. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that after the statement made by the Hon. Member, he had only to say that he entirely agreed with him, that the bye-law of the Com m itt ee i must continue in force, and m ust not be ntsrfered with in any way whatsoever. The Honour able Gentlema n would no doubt, have to attend the Committee, to verify his statement. He thought this consideration would induce the llouse, on the application of the Hon. Member himself, to be allowed to attend and verify his own vote. Mr. Sanderson's statement was then read by the Clerk as i follows I was not aware when I was drawn on the Com mittee that I had voted at an election." On the motion of Mr. WYNN, Mr. Sanderson was then excused from further attendance on the London Election Committee. Mr. HUME, in answer to an Hon. Member, stated that he had postponed his motion for the second reading of the County Rates Bill till that day fortnight. QUARTER SESSIONS. Lord J. RUSSELL said he had a notice on the paper for to-morrow for the introduction of a Bill with regard to the administration of justice at Quarter Sessions. It was most important that he snould bring in the Bill on that sub ject, and after stating the grounds for his doing so, it was his intention to move that the further consideration of the measure should be adjourned to Monday. On the motion of the LORD ADVOCATE the Small Debts ( Scotland) Bill was read a second time. On the motion that the House go into Committee on the the First Fruits and Tenths Bill, Mr. G. KNIGHT rose to make some remarks, which were totally inaudible in the gallery in consequence of the noise occasioned by Members leaving the House. Mr. BAINES wished to explain how the matter really stood. A Committee had been appaointed to inquire into the subject of the first fruits and tenths, and their administration, the result of their report was, that they were not administered in such a way as to be beneficial to the poor clergy. The present Bill fell far short indeed of the declared inten tions and the report of the Honourable Member. He was willing, however, to believe that in proposing only the consolidation of the three offices and the Queen Anne's Bounty, the Honourable Member bad acted in courtesy towards him, and left the remainder of the matter in his hands as he had been the person who had originally taken it up. It would ill become him, therefore, to throw any obstacles in the way of the Bill, or to upbraid the Hon. Member for what he had left undone. There were one or two points in the Bill, however, to which he wished to call their attention. 30,500/. a-year ought to accrue to the poorer clergy from this establishment. From this there was a deduction of 5,000/. a-year for salaries. He wished to take the management of the funds out of the hands of the Bishops and to place it in the hands of Commis sioners, lay and ecclesiastical, who would manage it for the benefit of the poor clergy, whose humble advocate he was. After a few observations from Sir R. Ingless, Mr. Baines, Lord Sandon, Mr. Estcourt, and Lord John Russell, the House went into Committee. :[LEFT SITTING.] IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OP COMMONS, Fan 27. In consequence of there being three Ballots for the Queen's County, Taunton, and the City of London Election Com mittees, the gallery was not opened until a quarter to Five, On our admission we found Mr. E. J. STANLEY on his legs. He said that he understood that two of the Gen tlemen who had been ballot e d o n the City of London Elec tion Committee had voted at the last election.—(Hear. ) He wished to know if Mr. George Palmer had not voted? Mr. PALMER replied that he certainly had voted, but he was not aware that that was an objection to his serving on the Committee. Mr. KE NIBLE asked if the Hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets did not a'so vote ? Mr. CL AY replied in the negative. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw. TAUNTON ELECTION. Mr. CH AL MER S, on our re-admission to the gallery, ap peared at the bar with the reduced list of the Members balloted for on the petition against the return for Taunton. Tho follow ing were the names :—R. Hurst, T. P. Williams, Hon. IL H. Clive, Richard Price, Edward Litton, Robert Williams, Hon. George henry Cavendish, Sir Charles Robert Blunt, Sir Charles Brooke Vere, Wm. B. Wrightson, and Robert Palmer. NOTTING-HILL. Mr. CL AY moved that Mr. Slaney should bo added to the Notting-Hill Enclosure Committee. Mr, WAKLE Y wished the Honourable Member for the Tower Hamlets to state the grounds upon which this motion was made. Mr. CL AY said it was well known the Honourable Mem ber had exerted himself in order to secure open spaces in the neighbourhood of large towns, for the recreation of the public. As that Bill was connected with that subject he thought the Hon. Member might bo of service on the Committee. Mr. WAK LE Y considered the motion as an imputation upon the Committee, the whole of the Middlesex list. He hoped the motion would net be agreed to, as, if it was in this instance, it might be in many others, and might lead to great abuses. After a few words from Mr. Wool) and Mr. Hump:, Mr. SL ANEY said the motion had not been made with his sanction, and he hoped it would be withdrawn. Mr. CLAY said that that assertion was collect, and, with the leave of the House, he withdrew the motion. Lord EBRINGTON brought up the Report of the Com mittee on the Pelimton Harbour Bill. NOTTING-HILL IN CLOSURE. An 'not,. NIFIAnR.II prosented a petition from the inhabitants of St. Mary Abbot, Kensington, setting forth that a wal had passed the second reading, and been referred to a Committee for a certain Inclosnre on Notting-hill, and otherwise af fecting a right of way enjoyed by the petitioners.—( Hear, hear.) The House had been induced to believe that an r.ction brought to assert the right of way had been withdrawn, and under that erroneous supposition had been induced to pass the second reading. Mr. HUME objected to the reception of tho petition, on the ground of breach of privilege, as it imputed to an Hon. Member that he had made a misrepresentation to the House. At the sugestion of the SPEAKER, the petition was withdrawn. Some private business was transacted at the table, but we could not hear the purport of it. PENITENTIARY. a's Lord JOHN RUSSELL wished to give notice, that on the 13th of March, he should propose a Committee on Church Leases.—( Cheers.) He wished likewise to state that he hoped to be able next week to state the terms of the notice of the course intended to be pursued by the Government respecting the Irish Tithes.—(Cheers.) He wished likewise to state, in answer to a question put to him yesterday, which he answered at the time, with respect to the details relative to persons confined in the Penitentiary at Milbank, that he had thought it best to ask for a Report from the Committee of the Peni tentiary with respect to the circumstances that had been detailed by the Hon. Gentleman who asked the question. He could not say this without at the same time returning his thanks to the Hon. Baronet who had put the question yesterday for having given him notice of his intention to do so—(Cheers)—and for having proposed the question merely for information.—(Cheers.) He must at the same time deprecate the contrary practice—that of bringing - forward subjects, attacking and making imputations against a Minister of the Crown, end taking care to bring that subject forward without notice being given in that House.—( Cheers. ) Lord SANDON rose to order, amid Opposition cheering. He wished to know whether it was according to the rules of the House, that remarks made in the other House should be noticed.—(Cheers from the Tories, and loud cries of " Chair, chair.") The SPEAKER.—Order, order. Lord SA NDON—I rise, Sir, for the purpose of asking whether it is in order, there being no question before the House—(Loud cheers from the Tories)—and no individual in this House having been personally alluded to, that reflections should be made on a course of conduct pursued in the other house?—( Vehement cheering from the Tory benches.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL then rose, and after standing on his legs for a second or two amid the most violent cries of Chair, chair," from the opposite benches, resumed his seat. His Lordship again rose, but was greeted with the same voci ferous cries of " Chair, chair," when The S PEAKER, as we understood, said the general rule was not to notice a particular transaction in another House ; and the Noble Lord having asked whether anybody had been attacked in that House, he was bound to say ho was not aware that such bad been the ease. Lord JOHN RUSSELL—Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of bringing myself in order with respect to a motion being before thellouse I may be permitted to move for a paper— for a Copy of a letter directed by the Secretary of State to tho Committee of the Penitentiary with respect to cases lately under that had been made in this House, — occurred to discussion. Sir, I did not state anything but that which (Cheers.) s ro aI questionstated that the Hon. Gentleman who made that to due, , h I think is due both respect as duties of public men, as regards public affairs, and in to the question —and I . will repeat it again—( Loud ; m one conformity regards courtesy s" , Gentleman gave me due notice a day beforehand Hon. of what ho meant to propose ; and when he did propose it, private individual to another.—(Renewed cheers.) The he cheering)— acted in.tcyontfoorwmhitayt w ithout making r eflections on any person.—( Hear, hear.) proposed it a s a q uestion, and as seekin g for information That I say. Sir, was a reputable and discreet course of con duct, and i f it is different from the conduct of others--(e Order" from the Oppos i t ion benches, f o ll ow ed b y loud Cries Cries r i es e e ,‘ Hear, hear" from the other side of the House.) Sir, I do hope that lam not to be placed in that situation that I am neither to be allowed, in this House, to state what I think is due to my own position as a Minister of the Crown— (Vehement Ministerial cheering)—relative to the administra tionor to give a notice with regard to a tax made another place with regard to that cenduct.— (o ncmeoefersin justice, or (Cheers.) si r Ido not believe that any party, whether in o pposition otherwise, at any time have pursued that course— it was not the conduct pursued when I was in opposition to wards those in the Government, and I don't think it was ever at that time the custom to endeavour to make questions re lating to the administration of justice questions of party politics.—( Much cheering.) Sir, I don't mean to enter into the question which was put to me by the Honourable Gentleman, further than to repeat that I shall take care there shall be laid before this House a Report of the circum stances related to each of these cases, made by reputable per sons, who hold the situations of the Committee of the Millbank Penitentiary, and of Inspectors of Prisons, and I shall be satisfied with the judgment of the House upon the ease.— ( Cheers. ) The motion was then put and agreed to. see IPSWICH ELECTION. Mr. AG LIONBY wished to apply to the Speaker, for the purpose of presenting a petition which he had been prevented from doing in the ordinary course. Had it not been that the petition was of an important nature, and related to a subject which was before the House last night, and would be brought before it again to-night, he would not ask permission to present it. He apprehended that the House would allow the petition to the Member for Northamptonshire, they were taking ' a be brought forward, because it related to the subject-matter part in a very shabby motion.—(Cries of hear, hear.) In his about to be discussed. Another ground on which he was (Mr. Cresswcll's) humble judgment, it did not very well be- e anxious not to lose the opportunity of presenting the petition, come the Noble Lord to impute to Hon. Members on (the - , , 1 was, that he intended to found a motion on it at a subse- Opposition) side of the House any shabbiness in that transac- 1 quent day, and therefore he wished to obtain leave for its tion. And he must take the freedom to call the at being printed. The petition was from Mr. Rigby Wason, tention of the House to the conduct of the Noble Lord with and referred to the decision of the Committee on the respect to this matter, since the Noble Lord, the Member 1 Ipswich election. He (Mr. Aglionby) bad read the for Northamptonshire first gave notice of his motion in this petition with the greatest possible attention, and belieeed House. The Noble Lord, the Secretary for the Home De- I there was nothing in it which could be construed into an in- partrnent, thought it becoming him on that occasion fringement of the Orders of the House. There was nothing to give a conditional notice—( Loud cheers)—that if improper in it as affecting the character of individual Mem- the House entertained this motion he would bring I hers, nor any allegation which could render it unfit to be re- forward a motion respecting a Right Reverend Prelate.— 0 ceived. It did not impugn the motives of the Commiitee, or ( Continued cheering.) Now, if the Noble Lord gave that i allude to the decision of particular individuals. The prayer of it conditional notice, not intending to bring it forward, e_ was that considering the decisions contrary to former decisions, provided the condition was fulfilled, but to offer it as a diver and* some of them contrary both to law and common sense, sion in favour o f a p olitical all y , at least it was not the House would take into consideration some means of pre- very dignified pr o cee din g. Or if that Noble Lord, u p on that -- - venting such decisions from being drawn into a precedent, and condition being fulfilled, did intend to prosecute his notice, 1 effect some improvement in the law as regarded election pe- and to call the attention of the House to some supposed offence ei titions. On these grounds he requested leave to present the committed against its privileges by a Right Rev. Prelate, at .1 petition. As it did not impugn the conduct of any indi- a time long gone by—(Hear)—which was well known to the 3 vidual, he did not intend to move further than that Noble Lord, and which he had not thought it his duty to bring 3 the petition be printed.—(Cries of "ohloh !" from the Op- forward—if it was his intention to bring that before the 4 position.) If there were no opposition to the petition being House, not in the discharge of his public duty, but by way of : printed, there could be no objection to bringing it up and hay- retaliation—( Cheers)—it was something worse than undigni- I 1 it read by the Clerk.--(Cries of "oh I oh 1") He scarcely fled.—(Repeated cheers.) knew what Honourable Members meant.—(Cries of " Print Mr. W. WYNN rose and said that the proceeding which e it.) It was to usual allow Members to state shortly the House was adopting on the present occasion was fully the substance of petitions.—(Loud cries of " oh, oh.) warranted by the opinions of Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox. The .1 And he claimed the privilege of stating to the House, as only difference in the cases to which he had referred, as sane; , I shortly as he could, the nature of the petition which he held tioned by Mr. Pitt and Mr. Fox, was the party being called . f in his hand. The petition stated there were at the last to the bar or reprimanded in his place. Here was foul per- 1 election for Ipswich four candidates, Messrs. R. Weser), jury imputed to the Members of a Committee of that House, T. Gibson, 11. Tuffnell, and F. Kelly; that on the and was such an offence to be passed over without notice? ; Committee struck, there were six Tories and five Li- Ho contended that the majority of the night before was not a berals ; and that there were certain decisions come to by party majority, because it was composed not only of Members that Committee, which, without impugning the motives of the of the Opposition side of the House, but also of several Hon. Committee, were not, in the petitioner's judgment, legal. Members who usually supported Ministers, but some too i He instanced a case in which a charge of bribery high-minded to support them on t hat occasion.—( Cheers.) ! and corruption, by treating, &c., was made against He did not think that the dignity of the House had been suf the Tory candidates, but in which the Committee re- ficiently vindicated, and therefore he could not vote for the ,'- tained the vote. He also stated that one voter amendment. as struck off from the poll for the Liberal candidates, as Mr. GORING complained that the Right Hon. Gentle. cing that of a parish-constable, appointed at the request of the man who had just spoken had imputed perjury to the Corn- Tory candidates, and against the desire of the party himself. mittee of which he (Mr. Goring) was one, namely, the Car- He further stated that the vote of a person who had acted as a low Committee ; but he could conscientiously declare that Deputy Returning Officer, without being paid for his service, his conduct on that Committee was influenced solely by a ad been struck off. The Hon. Member moved that the peti- sense of justice and of his duty. ion be laid on the table, which being agreed to, he moved that Mr. WYNN disclaimed having made any allusion to the it be printed, giving notice that he would, on Friday, bring Hon. Member or to the Carlow Comm i t tee. the subject of the Ipswich Committee before the House.— After a few words in explanation from Mr. GORING, -( Hear, hear.) Viscount CA STLERE AG H believed his Roman Catholic Mr. T. GIB SON (the Tory Member for Ipswich) thought countrymen who were Members of that House to be men of as it would be impossible to decide on this subject till much integrity and of as high honour as any other Members in t the evidenCe taken before the Committee had been laid it e ___( Cheers.) He spoke as an Irishman ; and if he had not n the table of the House ; and he hoped the Chairman said this he wonld have felt that he had not vindicated the I, of the Committee would make a motion to that effect. vote he had given the night before.—( Cheers.) It did not I With respect to the decision as to the special constables, it follow from this, however, that the language used by the Hon. as •one of a class, and the decision of the first class and Learned M ember for Dublin was warranted. Although I usually influenced the decision of the rest. The decision he had not served on any Committee he felt himself aggrieved g ;Upon this case was unanimous ; and could not , t herefore, be by the lan g ua g e used. If the p resent proceeding were facto- construed into a party decision.—(Tory Cheers.) It was a vered in he would vote for it, because he thought the House decision, in fact, on the plain construction of an Act of Par- would stultify itself if it did not follow up the vote of the liament.—( Cheers from the same quarter.) night before. Mr. JENKINS wished, as Chairman of the Committee, Sir F. POLLOCK could not see why it was that the ;to state to the House that he had intended last night to move Noble Lord opposite had the night before imputed a shabby for the production of the minutes, but was prevented from so course of proceeding to his ( Sir F. Pollock's) side of the edoing by the understanding that the Hon. Member for South House. He should like to know if the Noble Lord was a Essex would have moved for them. He was most anxious that judge of what was shabby. If he was, he might find such the evidence should be produced, in order to repel the impute- conduct in supporting an amendment to stop further proceed- tions that had been thrown out a g ainst the Committee, and in g s, while he admitted that the conduct of the Hon. and I i'should therefore move as an a m e ndment to the motion of the Learned Member for Dublin was a breach of p rivilege. The s Hen. Member opposite, that the Minutes of the Evidence be House had declared that the language of the Hon. and , laid on the table of the House. Learned Member for Dublin was false and scandalous. The Colonel WE STE NR A said that ho had served on the House ou g ht to have taken such a ste p as this lon g ago. 1 Committee, and did not think that the decision referred to Were they to forget not only the dignity of the House hat was unanimous —( Laughter, and cries of " Hear.") the decencies of society ? He did not want to have any high I ' Mr. JENKINS wonld ask the Hon. Member if the deci- punishment inflicted, but he wished the character of the 4 sion with respect to the Parish Constable was not carried House to be sustained. unanimously? After some observations from Mr. HAnvaY and Colonel e Colonel WE STENR A—Yee, bat that was not the decie CONOLLT, amidst loud cries of " Divide," I • sion alluded to. Viscount MAIDSTONE, in reply, said that the character Mr. C. BITLLER wished to ask the Hon. Member oppo- of the House was at stake, and it was impossible they could site (Mr. Jenkins), if there were not a division of six to five, pass the matter over without some further notice. even on the other decision.—( Loud cries of " Order, order." Strangers were then ordered to withdraw , and the Ho use Sir ROBERT HERON, having been a Member of the divided, si ided, when the numbers were— .i Committee, felt called on to say a few words. It was not a For Lord Maidstone's motion 249 1 fact that the decision with respect to the Parish Constable For the amendment was unanimous. That decision was entirely opposite to a deci- Majority inifavour of the motion ...... sion of another Committee which sat in 1835 . He did not , The announcem ent of the numbers was received with cheers. however, mean to impeach it. He voted in the minority ; the We presume that previously to our re-admission into the question was a difficult one; and he by no means meant gallery the motion that Mr. O'Connell should attend in his 1 to say that those who voted against him were not right. place and be reprimanded by the Speaker must have been put, The opposite decisions which were given on this subject proved for when were re-admitted we found how necessary it was that some better mode of deciding these Mr. H. GRATTAN on his legs, moving, as an eme,"l: .; questions should bo resorted to than they had at present. ment, the addition to the motion of words of which the Te.. i On the question being put, that the petition should lie on lowing was understood to be the purport ;—" Notwithstana .„ the table, and be printed with the votes , ing the Members for Cork, Sligo, Liskeard, and Falkirk have ::i Mr. W. W. WYNN rose. He did not do so for the pur- avowed in their places sentiments similar to those uttered. ~ ~ pose of objecting to the present motion , althoug h at an y former b y Mr. O'Connell ; and notwithstanding that House had 1 period he should have felt himself bound to object to any attempt passed by without notice a published charge of the Bishop !, to make that House a Court of Appeal, es he considered it a of Exeter, in which an imputation of perjury is east upon the a most dangerous practice ; but, after the accusation which Roman Catholic Members of Parliament."--4Hear.) If Hon. .: had been made against members of Committees, he felt bound Members meant to deal out impartial justice, they must adopt 1 in justice not to deny them an opportanity of making public this amendment. With respect to the case of the Hon. and ; their proceedings. Learned Member, he did not that night, nor had he on the el . Mr. JENKINS thought that the proceedings before the preceding, justified the language he had used—( Hear)—but ,i 1 Ipswich Committee should be laid on the table, and would if he was asked if gross party feeling did not prevail on Elec- ' make a motion to that effect. lion Committees, he should most assuredly say that it did. et Mr. AG LIONBY trusted the House would allow him, in But let the House bear in mind the case of the Hon. Baronet, e justice to himself, to say a few words. —( Cries of " No, no.") the Member for North Wilts ( Sir F. Burdett), as well as those 1 : He contended he had a right to do so.—( Laughter.) Hon. of Mr. Wilkes and of Dr. Lucas, Would not the people take I Members might laugh, but they must recollect that that the pert of Mr. O'Connell, as they had that of Sir F. I3urdett u was not argument. He begged to say that he never thought in 1819 ?_( Hear.) He stated this, to show the difficulty in ' of pressing his motion for the printing of the petition with- which the House was placing itself. Suppose—the Noble out having the proceedings before the Ipswich Committee Lord having brought forward his motion against the Hon. and -- before the House.—( Cheers.) And it had been his intention, Learned Member, and following it up with another, . that he , :, 11 , if he obtained leave to have the petition print ed, to have attend in his p lace, and be reprimanded —suppose the Hon. gle e • ; moved for the printing of the proceedings befo re the Commit- Learned Member denied the ri g ht of the House to compel hie' tee. In that motion, however, he had been f orestalled b y the to attend— ( Hear)—what was to be done in such a case ? The -; Honourable Member. Spe ak e r must issue his warrant, and it was ver y possible that -1 The proceedings before the Ipswich Comm ittee were then t he p eo p le mi g ht take p art with the Hon. and Learned Gen ordered to be laid on the table and printed. tleman.— ( Hear.) Sir F. Burdett had set this warrant at defi- I The petition was then ordered to lie on the table, and be ance, and had treated it as so much waste paper, as Cromwe ll .. printed. had done before him—(Lau g hter from the Opposition) --- . 1 and what had been done in 1 812 might also be done in 1838. ' I His opinion was that the Hon. and Learned Member for t, Dublin was right in his estimate of Election Committees -- 1 ( Hear, hear)—and that they were most shameful tribunals. This conduct on the part of Hon. Gentlemen opposite arose from their connection with the Spottiswoode gang. They called the priests of Ireland serfs ; but what would they say : d if he were to call the Bishop of Exeter a serf ?—( Laughter from the Opposition.) The supporters of the Honourable and Learned Member for Dublin had been accosted with all sorts of degrading epithets—( The Hon. Member here read ' several from a piece of paper)—and his feelings had naturally . been roused by them. What had the Hon. and Learned I Gentleman said in the beginning of the speech which had ,A . been so much blamed? Had he not said that the Irish /4 wanted some measure passed to protect them from the ma - 4 ; chinations of the Spottiswoode gang?—(" Hear," and a 4 laugh.) What harm was there in such an observation as that, :i, after the prodeedings adopted against the Irish elections ?-- .1 ( Hear, hear.) Though he considered that there were other words in that speech which were injudicious and improper, ee, yet lie did not think the House ought to go further in this e business than they had already gone. The Hon. Gentleman I then moved the amendment we have given above. ''i General JOHNS ON seconded the amendment. 1 Mr. E. B. ROCHE did not consider the ' proceedings 0f ' last night calculated to increase feelings in favour of that :I House throughout the country. No person could deny .' that the division which had taken place last night was el as much a division of party as any division which had 4 taken place during the Session. The public would say 4 that Honourable Members opposite had not supported the motion of the Noble Lord as men actuated by squeamish ~ sentiments for the honour and dignity of the House, but ac- ' tuated by enmity and animosity towards the Hon. Member for Dublin. He adopted the expressions of the Hon. Member e for Dublin, because ho believed them to be substantially cor rect. That Hon. Member had declared that the Committees of that House had sworn to do justice, and nevertheless had decided with partiality. The Hon. Member had ground"' •: that assertion on the best test of personal and political Mat" ' ters, the opinion of the public, and on the notorious habit of '.. canvassing the Members who attended at those ballots. It had last night been admitted by the Hon. and Learned Member - for Ripon that Members did decide not according to the strict rules of impartiality. For these reasons, he (Mr. Roche) was ready to adopt the sentiments of the Hon. and Learned Member for Dublin, although if he had to express those son - . timents he certainly might couch them in different language' However, for form sake, hewould adopt the precise expressions - He had himself no personal interest in the question. He was - not in any way connected with an election Committee. There was no petition against his return, and he did not fence him self under any conscientious dislike to afford satisfaction to any , Hon. Gentleman who might feel aggrieved by him.—(Cri es e of " Oh, oh," and a laugh.) It was not from any feeling of '. this kind The Hon. Member was proceeding, when he was called to order by The SPEAKER, who could not help reminding the Honourable Member that he was about to place the House in a , new situation. The House had agreed to a resolution ex - ; pressive of its censure upon certain expressions that had been e made use of elsewhere. In consequence of this another Mem ber rose in his place, to say that he adopted and reiterated e those offensive expressions of the lion. Member which the h House had thought deserving of censure. This course of pro seeding was attended with great irregularity—it was bes ides a course of proceedi ng qu it e novel. Moreover, no such ex pressions could be made a subject for the consideration of the ;, House unless th e wor d s o f th e Hon. Member were taken ,' down. This was what happened] according to the ordinary ;. - usage of P ar li ament . When a Member used expressions t hat were considered objectionable, ;the usage was for a Member., who viewed th em i n an op osite sense to the Member who. used them to reeve that they be taken down. If a practice of this kind was to be generally resorted to it was impossible to say to what extent it might be carried. If Hon. Members were to riso in succession and say that they voluntarily to comm it th a t w hich the House had decided to be ~ a grave and s e r i ous o ff ence , it would be impossible to f oresee e to what inco nven i ence an d irregularity it might lead. li e, therefore, felt b oun d to call the attention of the Hon. Memb er :- to this poi n t, an d to warn him against the irregularity of the 1 course he was about to adopt.—( Hear.) were prepared Mr. E. B. ROCHE said that however anxious to yield i t l o . any advic e f rom t h e Ch a ir, or to bow to its decision, a d though he f e lt th e punishment might follow the course h o was about to take-e(" Oh, oh," and a laugh) —he repeated MR. O'CONNELL. Mr. HUME held the Votes or Minutes of the proceedings on Mr. O'Connell in his hand, and he was surprised to find that the words complained of by the opposite side were not inserted. The resolutions of the House were there, but the foundation upon which they were raised were wanting. If he were in order, he would move that the words complained of be inverted on the Journals of the House. Mr. WYNN said that such a course of proceeding had never before been taken. In this case the speech had been read at the table, and had taken nearly an hour. In the case of Sir Francis Burdett only the substance, a sort of description of the libel, was given in the Journals, and he trusted the same course would be followed now. Mr. HUME would wish to hear what was the usual course from the Chair. Former precedents might be bad—in this case they were—for the matter complained of, and which had been read at the table of the House, should certainly appear upon the minutes. The SPEAKER said that the precedents were all as stated by the Hon. Member for Monmouthshire. Mr. HUME gave notice, that to-morrow ho should cer tainly take the sense of the House upon the subject. After a few words from Mr. GREEN, Mr. WYNN said it would be impossible to give an in struction to a Com SHERIFFSmittee, which bad not yet been appointed. ' S. Captain PE C HELL had a question to put to the Right Honourable the Attorney-General, whom ho had been for some time endeavouring to catch in his place.—( Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Now that he had Caught him, he hoped he would be allowed to ask him a ques tion, upon which much anxiety existed among those connected with Sheriffs' Courts. It was whether the Law Officers of the Crown intended to bring forward any measure for the amend ment of the law upon that point ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL begged to inform him that it was the intention of her Majesty's Law Officers to bring forward a measure on the subject, and he believed tho Noble Lord, the Secretary of State, had actually a notice for that purpose an the books.—( Hear, hear. ) BREACH OF PRIVILEGE—ADJOURNED DE. BATE. On the inotion of Lord MAIDSTONE, the Order of the Day for resuming the adjourned debate on the Broach of Pri ♦ilege was then read. Mr. PEND A EVE S had ventured to put himself forward on the present occasion, to endeavour, if possible, to avert the evils which were likely to arise from► tho debate of last night. He hoped Honourable Members now in their cooler moments, would see that it was far better not to go on with the debate, which was likely to be protracted many nights ; more especially when they saw Hon. Members starting up night after night and avowing the same sentiments. The people out of doors did not wish to see punishment inflicted on those persons who had expressed opinions similar to those of the Hon. and Learned Member for Dublin—they wished rather that the Honse Would deal no further is the matter.— ( Loud cries of " No, no," from the Opposition benches, fol lowed by cheering from the Ministerial side of the House. ) It was with that view, very much unaccastomed to speak is that House as he was, he ventured on this occasion to come forward. There was now a Bill before the House for the amendment of the Law of Elections, and he really believed it would be very much more satisfactory to the public if the House would proceed with the amendment of this law rathe- than occupy further time on the subject. He therefore begged to move, as an amendment to the question ' now before the House, that the House, taking into consideration that several Members of that House had avowed their belief that the decisions of Election Committees, sworn well and truly to try the matters before them, were biassed by party interests and questions; and, considering the late elections had been im pugned in the strongest terms by the public press —considering moreover, that the house had ordered to be read a second time a Bill to regulate the time of elections and returns of Members to serve in Parliament—was content to proceed no further in the said matter.—(Cries of " Oh, oh," from the Opposition.) Mr. CRE SSWELL wished shortly to state his reasons for preferring the original motion to the amendment which had just been proposed. He was the more anxious to do that, because the Noble Lord, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, had thought it hi:Twilit - 1 , - in him last night to impute to lion. Members on this (the Opposition) side of the House, that in supporting the resolution submitted by the Noble Lord, =